'Pouring Oil On Fire': Russia Seethes As Biden’s Missile Move Ups The Ukraine Stakes

Last Updated:November 18, 2024, 19:08 IST

Russia had earlier warned that any such decision by the US would mean that Washington and NATO were in direct confrontation with Moscow.

Putin had changed Russia's nuclear doctrine which threatened retaliation against any attack aided by a nuclear-powered country. (Reuters)

Outgoing US President Joe Biden’s administration has allowed Ukraine to use US-made long-range weapons to strike Russia, a significant move that has stoked fears of an escalation into the war and a significant reversal of Washington’s policy in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

For months, Russia had warned against such a step by the United States, saying that it would risk a confrontation between Moscow and the US-led NATO alliance. The move also comes before US President-elect Donald Trump, who has been sceptical of the US aid to Ukraine and vowed to bring an immediate end to the war, takes office.

Biden had been hesitant against such a move, fearing it would drag the United States and NATO into a direct confrontation with Russia, while Ukraine has been asking permission for months. However, the stakes of the battle have sharply changed, with Russia launching a massive missile attack that killed eight people in Odesa and another village in the east Donetsk region falling to Russian troops.

‘World War III’: How Russia Reacted To Biden’s Decision?

Biden’s decision to allow Ukraine to strike deep within Russia has sparked a furious response from Moscow. The Kremlin on Monday said any such decision would mean the US was directly involved in the conflict and accused Biden’s administration of escalating the war.

When asked about the reports, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the reports were not based on any official statements. “If such a decision was indeed formulated and brought to the Kyiv regime, then this is a qualitatively new round of tension and a qualitatively new situation from the point of view of US involvement in this conflict," Peskov said.

Peskov accused the United States of “pouring fuel to the fire and continuing to stoke tension around this conflict". Meanwhile, Russian senator Vladimir Dzhabarov called it “an unprecedented step towards World War III". However, there has been no official reaction from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Putin had changed Russia’s nuclear doctrine to say that any conventional attack on Russia aided by any nuclear powered could be considered to be a joint attack on Russia. One Russian official close to the Kremlin told Reuters that the US move, if confirmed, would not change the outcome of the war. Russian lawmaker Maria Butina expressed hope the incoming Trump administration would reverse the escalatory move that risks a third World War.

ALSO READ: Why Ukraine Attack On Russia With US Missiles Could Lead To World War 3 | Explained

How The World Reacted To US Move?

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted reports of the US approval of the long-range weapons in a video statement on X, but said such strikes are “not carried out with words". “These things are not announced. The missiles will speak for themselves," he said further.

Meanwhile, Polish President Andrzej Duda on Monday praised it as a “necessary" step that may become a decisive moment in the war. “This decision was very necessary … Russia sees that Ukraine enjoys strong support and that the West’s position is unyielding and determined. It’s a very important, potentially decisive moment in this war," he told journalists.

However, Germany has declined to provide long-range weapons to Ukraine, BBC reported citing a German government spokesperson after the US decision came to the spotlight. Germany has been Ukraine’s second-highest donor of military aid to Kyiv, but Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s recent talks with Putin may have factored in the decision.

Germany’s decision was criticised by Duda, who accused Scholz of looking for opportunities to reach some agreement with Russia to buy energy resources from Moscow. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk had also criticised Scholz, saying that “no-one will stop Putin with phone calls".

While there has been no word from the UK and France, both countries had been in favour of allowing Ukraine to hit Russian targets with long-range missiles. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot recalled President Emmanuel Macron’s stance in May regarding the French missiles. Biden’s decision is also expected to open the door for Ukraine to use Britain’s Storm Shadow missiles into Russia.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said he was “not opening champagne just yet" as it was unknown how many rockets the Ukrainians had and whether they had enough to impact the battlefield.

Will Biden’s Decision Alter The Course Of The War?

The significant decision to allow Ukraine to use ATACMS rockets, which have a range of up to 190 miles, comes largely in response to Russia’s alleged deployment of North Korean forces to supplement its forces, which sparked alarm in Washington and Kyiv. Zelenskyy has long asked allies to allow it to strike deeper in Russian lines.

However, analysts say that while the approval could help Ukraine defend their foothold in Russia’s Kursk region, it may come too late to change the course of the war. “The decision comes late, and like other decisions in this vein, it may be too late to substantially change the course of the fighting," Michael Kofman, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for Peace in Washington, told Reuters.

Moreover, there is a limited supply of ATACMS that Ukraine can receive, which will factor heavily into the amount of resources Kyiv needs to maintain its control of Kursk, according to CNN. Ukraine said Russia has amassed as many as 50,000 troops in the region accompanied by 11,000 North Korean troops. Beyond that, it is unlikely that Ukraine will receive enough missiles to get an advantage in the war.

How this decision would impact the war would also largely depend on Donald Trump’s policies when he takes office on January 20. Trump, who is likely to take charge when the stakes of the war may have gotten significantly higher, has promised to end the war swiftly while he and his allies have criticised US military provisions to aid Ukraine’s war.

There is much uncertainty on whether Russia seeks a full-blown conflict with NATO or the US, but a possible counteroffensive cannot be ruled out, Russia has already moved their assets in preparation for Biden’s decision and has reportedly expanded missile production, as shown in satellite images. Military analysts say the delays in approving long-range missiles have given Moscow time to recover from earlier failures and reinforce defences in occupying territories.

(with agency inputs)

Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)

News world 'Pouring Oil On Fire': Russia Seethes As Biden’s Missile Move Ups The Ukraine Stakes